Villagers receive health centre as part of investment projects

VILLAGERS of Porebada in Central can access health services at a new community health center built by the Mineral Resource Development Company (MRDC) and Gas Resources PNGLNG Plant Ltd (GR PNGLNGPL).
It was one of the K3.7 million worth of community investment projects provided to the village on Friday.
The others were three health staff quarters, 35 dinghies with outboard motors, two trucks, one tractor, two church trucks, an ablution block, three incinerators with generators, a water tank for the health centre and a walkway.
The projects were funded through a Community Infrastructure Trust Fund set up by the GR PNGLNGPL for the four PNG LNG impact villages in Central – Boera, Porebada, Papa and Lea Lea.
MRDC managing director Augustine Mano said the projects would benefit Porebada villagers.
“The onus is now on the community to take ownership of these investments.”
Mano said the MRDC valued the public-private partnership.
Central Provincial Health Authority chief executive officer James Amini said the Government lacked resources to make things work and private partnerships was needed to deliver services especially health.
He said the community health centre was classified as level-two but there were plans to upgrade it into level-three because of the increasing population of the village.
Clan leader Tara Arua welcomed the services as “a blessing to the community”.